1842 Elizabeth A. Bradley aged 9 sampler with birds and flowers

A very large dated 1842 American sampler worked by Elizabeth A. Bradley aged 9 features The Lord’s Prayer. Silk thread on very fine count linen fabric. Beautifully worked tiny stitches. mostly cross stitches with some embroidery on the birds, the stitching is exceptional for a 9 year old. Charming motifs include dogs and birds with trees and flowers

Overall size is 22″ wide by 24″ high; the linen is trimmed fairly close to the outer border and the sampler is sewn to a cotton backing which was glued to a mounting board (sparing the needlework any glue damage). I’d mount it on a similar linen to disguise the edges but you could choose a mat instead.

Condition of the sampler is actually very good despite the staining– no stitch loss or holes in the fabric. This could be a terrific project for anyone wanting to try their hand at conservation; despite the water stains the colorful silks seem to colorfast. The staining around the lettering is unfortunately common and permanent, it is due to the caustic dye used for black and dark brown silks and hazing often occurs even on pieces not exposed to moisture. Usually the lovely green-blue shade is the first to bleed when wet.